Switch with hinged switch base and cover



Nov. 19, 1968 6. ROGERS ETAL 3,

SWITCH WITH HINGEU SWITCH BASE AND COVER Filed July 12. 1965 A E 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1NVENTOR5 GILBERT ROGERS BY WERNER R. BAUER THEIR ATTORNEYS NOV. 19, 1968 G. ROGERS ETAL SWITCH WITH HINGE!) SWITCH BASE AND COVER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12. 1965 s R F O T N E0 VRR RE EN BR E GW Y B Q OE THEIR ATTORNEYS N v. 19, 1968 T G. ROGERS Em 3,4 2 5 SWITCH WITH H INGED SWITCH BASE AND COVER 1NVENTOR5 GILBERT ROGERS BY WERNER R.BAUER THEIR ATTORNEYS Nov. 19, 1968 G. ROGERS ETAL SWITCH WITH HINGED SWITCH B ASE AND COVER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 12. 1965 FIG.

INVENTORj GILBERT ROGERS WERNER R, BAUER HEIR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,412,225 SWITCH WITH HINGED SWITCH BASE AND COVER Gilbert Rogers, Grove City, and Werner Robert Bauer, Columbus, Ohio, assignors to Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,363 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-168) This invention relates to a switch base and cover.

One of the features of this invention includes a small switch construction which may be pushed into a panel opening with the front wall of the switch engaging the front surface of the panel and with snap end mounting means on the body of the switch construction holding the switch on the panel, and with means for mounting the body of the switch construction on a surface mount.

Another feature of this invention includes a one piece, homogeneous, switch casing including a one piece cover and a one piece base homogeneously connected by flexible dividing hinge means, so that the cover and base may be closed on each other by the hinging action provided by the flexible hinge means.

Another feature of this invention includes hooking means for holding the casing parts in closed condition after the parts have been moved to closed position by action of the hinging means.

Another feature of this invention includes a snap-on panel bezel, which may be snapped on the front wall of the casing.

Other features of this invention become apparent from this description, the appended claimed subject matter, and/or the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a swich construction about to be applied to a panel opening, drawn substantially to actual scale.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the switch construction applied to the panel.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view, in enlarged scale, of the switch construction of FIGURE 1 with the casing partially open.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of the switch casing in fully open position, before any switch parts are installed.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the switch receiving base of FIGURE 3 with switch parts for a single pole switch.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6' but showing a larger casing with switch parts for a double pole switch.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a completed single pole switch construction of FIGURES 3 and 6, with a snap-on front panel ready to be applied to the front of the switch construction.

FIGURE 9 is a view of a portion of FIGURE 8 with the snap-on front panel snapped in place.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the base of the casing with the latch portion of the cover about to be snapped in place.

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 10 showing the latch portion snapped in place.

In FIGURES l and 2, a switch construction 20 may have a main casing body 22, which has a front wall 24. The main casing body 22 may be insertable in the opening 26 in a panel 28. The front wall 24 may engage the front surface of the panel 28, after the main body 22 has been inserted through the opening 26. Snap-in mounting means or flexible casing arms 30 may be provided on the main body 22, which flex inwardly toward the casing 22 while the main body is being pushed into the opening 26, and then snap outwardly, as shown in FIGURE 2, to engage the panel 28 and hold the switch construction 20 securely mounted on the panel 28.

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Additionally, the main casing body 22 may be provided with surface mounting means in the form of screw hole openings 32. Screws may be inserted through these openings 32 and into a surface mount or board, so that the switch construction may be securely mounted on such board by the screws which pass through the openings 32.

The switch construction may have switch actuating means, or plunger 34, which may be resiliently outwardly biased, and may be pushed in, to actuate the switch within the casing body 22.

Electric circuit connecting means may be provided on the casing body, and such means may take the form of a common rod connector 36 and branch rod connectors 38 and 40, so that the common connector 36 may be selectively connected to the branch rod connectors 38 and 40 in response to the inward and outward movement of the plunger 34. l

The switch construction, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 may be of a size, such as actually shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the patent application. However, in order to provide a more detailed construction of the switch construction, the other figures show the parts in enlarged scale.

For example, FIGURES 4 and 5 show, in general, a casing construction which may be cast or formed of homogeneous plastic material. Such a switch casing may include a homogeneous, plastic material, relatively rigid first casing part or base 42, and a homogeneous, plastic material, relatively rigid second casing part or to 44. These parts are joined together by flexible, homogeneous, plastic material, hinge means 46. These parts may be cast or molded together, as indicated in FIGURES 4 and 5, with the supporting parts of the base 42 and cover 44 being rigidly formed, to retain their shape under ordinary pressures, and with the hinge means or flexible connectors 46 homogeneously connected to the base and top, whereby the top can be hingedly moved under control of the hinge means 46 into closed position against the base portion 42.

Certain words are used in this specification and claimed subject matter indicating direction, relative position, and the like. However, such Words are used for the sake of brevity and clearness of description, and apply only to the relative position, and direction shown in the drawings. In actual use, the parts so described may have entirely different direction, relative positions and the like. Examples of such words are top, base, upper, lower, etc.

The Words homogeneous and homogeneously as herein used in the specification and claims are intended to define a construction in which all of the parts which are indicated to be homogeneous or homogeneously formed are made and connected as a single, continuous structure from a plastic or flowable material.

The parts and general construction shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 are only diagrammatically shown, and are intended to show that the parts may be cast or formed in the mold or the like in fiat condition, so that later the switch parts may be inserted in the base 42 and/or top 44, and then the parts may be hinged together about the hinge means 46 and locked together in a manner to become more readily apparent elsewhere. In the other figures, the casing parts are shown of substantially the same shape, but are varied slightly in detail, so that they can accept the switch parts which are specifically disclosed therein.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 3 and 6, the parts so far described in connection with FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 5 are marked with similar numbers in FIG- URES 3 and 6, wherever applicable. In FIGURE 3, the top 44 is shown moved upwardly, on the hinges 46 on its way to be closed upon the base 42, after the switch parts have been installed in the base section 42. Some of the shapes and parts shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 have been slightly changed, to accept the switch parts of FIG- URES 3 and 6.

The first casing part, or base 42, in FIGURES 3 and 6, may have a relatively rigid front wall 24, two relatively rigid side Walls 48 and 50, a rear Wall 52 and a bottom wall 54. All of these walls 24, 48, 50, 52 and 54 may be homogeneous, plastic material, walls which are relatively rigid, and resist normal forces which are applied to such a switch construction.

The second casing part, or top 44, may be a h0mogeneous, plastic material casing part, and may have a formation to engage and close behind the front wall 24 and on the side and rear walls 48, 50, and 52, as the top 44 is closed upon the bottom or base 42. For example, the top 44 may include relatively rigid fiat plate 56 with thickened rear parts 58, 60, and 62 to engage the lower level surfaces of the rear wall 52 and the lower level offsets 64 and 66 of the side walls 48 and 50. The top plate 56 may also have longitudinal ridges 68, 70 and 72 to aid in rendering the plate 56 rigid. Also ridges 68 and 72 engage the inside surfaces of the side walls 48 and 50. Thus means are provided which substantially lock the top 44 against substantial forward and sidewise movement relatively to the base 42 when the top 44 is closed down on the base 42. Such means also subtantially lock the top 44 against backward movement of the top 44 relatively to the base 42 by the action of the notch 136 and tongue 138, as elsewhere described. The ridges 68 and 70 cooperate with correspondingly upward ridges 74 and 76 on the bottom wall 54, to guide the upper and lower edges of the enlarged head 78 of the plunger 34.

The top 56 may have two downwardly directed snap together flexible fasteners 80, which move downwardly, as indicated by the dotted lines 82, so that the opening 84, FIGURES l0 and 11, of each fastener 80 engages the bottom of a respective wedge shaped lower snap fastener 86, as more clearly shown in FIGURES and 11. In FIGURE 10 the downward snap together fastener 80 with its opening 84 is moving downwardly to engage the wedge shaped lower fastener 86. In FIGURE 11 the engagement has taken place, with the bottom of the opening 84 engaging the bottom of the wedge 86 to lock the parts together. The fasteners 86 are secured or integral with the side walls 48 and 50 of the base 42.

In FIGURES 6 and 7, it will be seen that the flexible arms 30 are provided with a series of ridges 88, which are adapted to engage the edge of the opening 26, in FIG- URES 1 and 2, after the switch construction has been inserted in the opening 26.

Referring to FIGURE 8, a snap-on bezel 90 may be made of metal or plastic material and may have a rim 92, with upper and lower flexible tongues 94, which are adapted to snap into notches 96' in the front wall 24. An opening 96 may be provided in the bezel 90 to receive the plunger 34. Ths bezel may be snapped over the wall 24 to provide an ornamental or informative front member for the switch construction.

Any suitable switch means may be mounted within the switch casing 22.

For example, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, the relatively rigid branch connectors or fiat bars 38 and 40 may extend inwardly into the casing and may support stationary contacts 98 and 100. The common connector rod or fiat bar 36 may extend into the casing, through the offset portion 102. The flat rod 36 may be pressed into a slot as shown in FIGURE 6. In actual construction the slots at the rear of the base 42 may be sufliciently tight fitting to hold the connectors 36, 38 and 40 in place. The slots are shown with a clearance for clear illustration only.

The rod 36 may have a right angled rod pivot extension 104. An actuating lever 106 may have a pivot end 108, which engages the pivot extension 104, in a suitable notch, if desired. The lever 106 may have a plunger actuated curved end 110. The lever 106 is pivoted or rocked on the pivot end 108 by the plunger head 78, which has its wedge shaped thick part engaging the lever end 110, in FIGURE 6. When the plunger 34 is pushed in, the slanting wall 112 on the plunger head 78 allows the lever end to rise upwardly, in FIGURE 6, to produce the pivoting action of the lever 106.

A snap blade construction has two arms 114 which straddle the narrow end tongue 122 of the pivot extension 104. The two arms 114 also straddle the lever 106, and the snap spring 116. The two arms 114 are shown broken in FIGURES 6 and 7 to display both arms 114 one above the other. The two parallel arms 114 join together at their left ends, and form a pivot ridge 118, the edge of which engages a suitable notch in the lever 106, so that the rightward pull on the arms 114, which is produced by the snap spring 116, hold the ridge 118 of the snap blade construction firmly against the lever 106. This construction exerts a rightward pulling action on such lever 106, to hold it in place at pivot 108.

The snap spring 116 may be of usual leaf steel construction, with one end 120 engaging a notch in the tongue 122 of the rod extension 104. The tongue 122 is narrow enough to be straddled between the two parallel snap blade arms 114. The other end of the spring 116 has a tongue and slot engagement 124 with the end fiat bridge 126 which joins the two arms 114 of the snap blade at their right ends. The bridge 126 carries the movable contact means or movable contacts 128 and 130.

A compression spring 132 engages the cupped end 134 of the plunger head 78 at one end. The other end of the spring 132 engages a spring receiver notch 136 in the rear wall 52. The upper end of the notch 136 receives the tongue 138, FIGURE 3, which extends downwardly from the top plate 56. The tongue 138 holds the top 44 against backward endwise movement with relation to the base 42, since the tongue 138 prevents rearward movement where the tongue 138 engages the notch 136.

The spring 132 returns the plunger 34 outward, after it has been pushed in and released.

The switch structure of FIGURES 3 and 6 is a single pole switch construction. The principles thereof may be duplicated to produce a double pole switch construction, as is shown in FIGURE 6.

In FIGURE 6, there are two common mirror image connectors 36A and 36B. Also, there are two mirror image pairs of branch connectors 40A-38A, and 40B- 38B. The single pole construction of FIGURE 6 may be duplicated in mirror form, the connectors 36B, 40B and 38B corresponding to the connectors 38, 40 and 36 of FIGURE 6 whereas the connectors 36A, 40A and 38A are mirror images of connectors 36, 40 and 38. The other mirror parts in FIGURE 7 are believed to be obvious, and it is believed unnecessary to describe them in detail, since those skilled in the art will recognize the mirror construction. It is believed unnecessary to add other reference characters, since the parts are obvioius from FIGURES 3 and 6.

It is to be seen that the switch construction of this invention may be produced by homogeneously forming the casing which includes the plastic base 42, top 44 and hinges 46. The homogeneous additional casing parts herein disclosed are also formed at the same time. Thereafter the switch ports may be assembled in the casing construction. For example, such switch parts may be assembled in the base 42 of the casing, and then the top 44 may be folded over on the hinges 46. The top 44 and base 42 may then be snapped together and held in closed condition by the snap together means 80 and 86.

The assembled switch construction may then be installed in the opening 26 of the panel 28 and held in place by flexible arms 30 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Alternatively, the switch construction may be mounted on a flat support surface of a flat panel or the like by inserting screws through the holes 32 and into such fiat panel.

Also, if desired, the bezel 90 may be snapped over the front wall 24 of the base 42. Such bezel 90 may be of ornamental and/ or informative nature, as desired.

A new, useful and unobvious switch construction has thus been provided by this invention.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination: a homogeneous, plastic material, casing base having a front wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and a rear wall, said walls being relatively rigid; a homogeneous, plastic material, casing top, said top being relatively rigid and having a formation to engage and close upon said front, side and rear walls; homogeneous, plastic material, flexible hinge means homogeneously and hingedly joining said casing base and said casing top; switch means in said casing base having line connector means extending through at least one of said walls; and plunger actuator means actuating said switch means and extending through at least one of said walls and including snap together means on said base and top to snappingly secure said casing base and casing top in closed condition when said base and top are closed together by hinge movement on said hinge means in which said switch means comprises: a common rod connector extending through a supporting slot in one of said walls, having a rearwardly extending outer end, and having a rod pivot extension into said base; an actuating lever having a pivot end on said pivot extension and having a plunger means actuated end; first and second rod connectors extending backwardly through said rear wall and supporting first and second stationary contacts in said casing base; a snap blade means supporting movable contact means to be reciprocated between and against said stationary contacts at one end of said blade and engaging said lever at the other end; a snap spring having one engagement with said rod pivot extension and another engagement with said snap blade means producing a pull on said lever; and lever actuating means on said plunger means actuating said lever in response to inward and outward movement of said plunger means to cause said snap blade to snap said contact means alternately against said first and second stationary contacts; said plunger extending through said front wall.

2. In combination: a homogeneous, plastic material, casing base having a front wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and a rear wall, said walls being relatively rigid; a homogeneous, plastic material, casing top, said top being relatively rigid and having a formation to engage and close upon said front, side and rear walls; homogeneous plastic material, flexible hinge means homogeneously and hingedly joining said casing base and said casing top; switch means in said casing base having line connector means extending through at least one of said walls; and plunger actuator means actuating said switch means and extending through at least one of said walls and including a snap-on panel bezel having an actuator means receiving opening and having snap-on securing means to engage said front wall and including snap together means on said base and top to snappingly secure said casing base and easing top in closed condition when said base and top are closed together by hinge movement on said hinge means in which said switch means comprises:

a common rod connector extending through a supporting slot in one of said side walls and having a rod .pivot extension into said base;

an actuating lever having a pivot end on said pivot extension and having a plunger means actuated end;

first and second branch rod connectors extending through said rear wall and supporting first and second stationary contacts in said casing;

a snap blade means supporting movable contact means to be reciprocated between and against said stationary contacts at one end of said blade and engaging said lever at the other end;

a snap spring having one engagement with said rod pivot extension and another engagement with said snap blade means and producing a pull on said lever;

and lever actuating means on said plunger means actuating said lever in response to inward and outward movement of said plunger means to cause said snap blade to snap said contact means alternately against said first and second stationary contacts.

3. A combination according to claim 2 in which there is a mirror common rod connector, a mirror actuating lever, mirror first and second conductors, a mirror snap blade means, a mirror snap spring, and mirror lever actuating means on said plunger.

4. In combination: switch casing means including a homogeneous plastic material, relatively rigid first casing part, a homogeneous plastic material, relatively rigid second casing part and flexible homogeneous plastic material hinge means homogeneously and hingedly joining said first and second casing parts; switch means in said casing having connector means extending through said casing; and actuating means extending through said casing and actuating said switch means in response to actuating movement of said actuating means;

a common rod connector extending through said casing and having a rod pivot extension into said casing;

an actuating lever having an end pivoted on said pivot extension and having an actuated end actuated by said actuating means;

first and second branch rod connectors extending through said casing and supporting first and second stationary contacts in said casing;

a snap blade means supporting movable contact means to be reciprocable between and against said stationary contacts;

a snap spring having one snap engagement with said rod pivot extension and another snap engagement with said snap blade means;

and snap blade actuating means on said actuating lever actuating said snap blade in response to movement of said actuating means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,513,804 7/1950 Kaminky 200-67 X 3,142,742 7/1964 Kaleba et al 200-168 X 3,172,983 3/1965 Zoda 200-168 FOREIGN PATENTS 863,386 3/ 1961 Great Britain.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

HERMAN O. JONES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION: A HOMOGENEOUS, PLASTIC MATERIAL, CASING BASE HAVING A FRONT WALL, TWO SIDE WALLS, A BOTTOM WALL, AND A REAR WALL, SAID WALLS BEING RELATIVELY RIGID; A HOMOGENEOUS, PLASTIC MATERIAL, CASING TOP, SAID TOP BEING RELATIVELY RIGID AND HAVING A FORMATION TO ENGAGE AND CLOSE UPON SAID FRONT, SIDE AND REAR WALLS; HOMOGENEOUS, PLASTIC MATERIAL, FLEXIBLE HINGE MEANS HOMOGENEOUSLY AND HINGEDLY JOINING SAID CASING BASE AND SAID CASING TOP; SWITCH MEANS IN SAID CASING BASE HAVING LINE CONNECTOR MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WALLS; AND PLUNGER ACTUATOR MEANS ACTUATING SAID SWITCH MEANS AND EXTENDING THROUGH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WALLS AND INCLUDING SNAP TOGETHER MEANS ON SAID BASE AND TOP TO SNAPPINGLY SECURE SAID CASING BASE AND CASING TOP IIN CLOSED CONDITION WHEN SAID BASE AND TOP ARE CLOSED TOGETHER BY HINGE MOVEMENT ON SAID HINGE MEANS IN WHICH SAID SWITCH MEANS COMPRISES: A COMMON ROD CONNECTOR EXTENDING THROUGH A SUPPORTING SLOT IN ONE OF SAID WALLS, HAVING A REARWARDLY EXTENDING OUTER END, AND HAVING A ROD PIVOT EXTENSION INTO SAID BASE; AND ACTUATING LEVER HAVING A PIVOT END ON SAID PIVOT EXTENSION AND HAVING A PLUNGER MEANS ACTUATED END; FIRST AND SECOND ROD CONNECTORS EXTENDING BACKWARDLY THROUGH SAID REAR WALL AND SUPPORTING FIRST AND SECOND STATIONARY CONTACTS IN SAID CASING BASE; A SNAP BLADE MEANS SUPPORTING MOVABLE CONTACT MEANS TO BE RECIPROCATED BETWEEN AND AGAINST SAID STATIONARY CONTACTS AT ONE END OF SAID BLADE AND ENGAGING SAID LEVEL AT THE OTHER END; A SNAP SPRING HAVING ONE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ROD PIVOT EXTENSION AND ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SNAP BLADE MEANS PRODUCING A PULL ON SAID LEVER; AND LEVER ACTUATING MEANS ON SAID PLUNGER MEANS ACTUATING SAID LEVER IN RESPONSE TO INWARD AND OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER MEANS TO CAUSE SAID SNAP BLADE TO SNAP SAID CONTACT MEANS ALTERNATELY AGAINST SAID FIRST AND SECOND STATIONARY CONTACTS; SAID PLUNGER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRONT WALL. 